A chronicle of our family's transition to an off-grid, more self-sufficient and eco-friendlier lifestyle, sharing, wherever possible, helpful links and ideas, in order to ease anyone else's journey along this path

Wednesday, 28 September 2011

I don't know if you recall back in March this year I mentioned that I found three tiny trees growing from seeds that I had planted on the farm at the end of last year. After I had eaten the fruit, the seeds were just been shoved into the soil, with no attention at all and no water (save the rainfall of the past winter).

This is what they look like now...

Seedlings in September this year

Well, this time, they are much bigger, and I was thus able to pinch of a couple of leaves, in order to smell, and correctly identify them.

They are not lemon tree sapling, they are... baby naartjie (mandarin) trees :) Happy Days! We now have both lemons and naartjies growing on the farm.

And, as for the lemon trees I planted in January, this is the progress they have made...

They are coming along beautifully. With their timed irrigation and eco-friendly pest control recipes (1 &2) they have nearly everything they need. The only assistance my lemon trees most urgently require from me is... weeding!

Devil thorns invading the weed guard
around my lemon trees

Each plant grows hundred of these nasty thorns

A close up of these nasty b*ggers

These thorns are hectic enough that they will go straight through Crocs - and, whatever you do, don't walk anywhere without your shoes, nor kneel / sit anywhere without scouting around for this plant first - you WILL regret it! But, even worse than that is the fact that when they get stuck in the sole of your shoe, the chances are that they will drop off as you walk indoors, which can create a nasty surprise if you walk barefoot in the house. So checking underneath your shoes prior to entering the house is a definite.

And that, MKid, is the reason we always tell you to put your shoes on as soon as you wake up in the morning, and to leave them on all day :)

Yip dani, those little thorny buggers travel indoors and suddenly it will catch someone unsuspectedly, and you will hear a curse coming from somewhere in the house. Then there is the odd person that will after being a victim of the thorn, transfer it to some body else's bed or gum boot.

What a nice surprise to have a new variety of fruit but what a pain to have an invasion of three corner jacks. Here I was thinking they were exclusive to Australia as we have so many other nasty plants and animals. Lol, they probably spread worldwide on travellers boots.Cheers,Robyn

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About me

Married for 34 years to RMan, mum to our two kids, Natasha and Richard, and Nana to my precious grandson, Mike, and new baby granddaughter, HJG. If you would like to send me an e-mail, please do so to: dani at ecofootprint dot co dot za

(This pewter footprint & image is the property of Eco Footprint - South Africa and may not be downloaded, copied nor reproduced without permission)